Topic: AKG Active Project part 3

[willndmb]

ohhh sweet thanks guys
checking out the threads too
can't believe it was that short time ago and i missed/forgot

[jbell]

Any ETA on the actives??

[Hypnocracy]

[Chuck]

lol...

The first post on the first AKG Active Thread was
« on: February 15, 2006, 11:11:42 AM »

I've been wrong before, but it does look like this will become reality soon.

[willndmb]

Any ETA on the actives??

as posted in retail
the U series mics are coming in may, and yes akg actives will be done before the u series mic

[darby]

lol...

The first post on the first AKG Active Thread was
« on: February 15, 2006, 11:11:42 AM »

I've been wrong before, but it does look like this will become reality soon.

plus this project focuses on using the standard capsules instead of the "X" series so all of us can use our existing caps

[F.O.Bean]

Sorry to slightly highjack this thread, but I notice alot of you have the Naiant LB. What has he done to yours? IN/OUT transformers?

[Todd R]

Sorry to slightly highjack this thread, but I notice alot of you have the Naiant LB. What has he done to yours? IN/OUT transformers?

Um, I think that qualifies as a pretty major hijack, this isn't even the preamp board.

Bean -- why don't you ask over in the Team Littlebox thread, probably a little more on target:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130031.msg1828987#msg1828987

[ts]

See the pic of a PFA below, this version would be minus the minijack and hardwired to the coupling instead.  So it would be AKG CK6x-->coupling-->PFA-->littlebox or other P48 preamp.

So the couplings would be the collettes? The cabling between the couplings and PFA's can be any length per customer specs or is it a short run and desired cable length from the PFA's to the pre?

This looks great. Count me in.

[willndmb]

See the pic of a PFA below, this version would be minus the minijack and hardwired to the coupling instead.  So it would be AKG CK6x-->coupling-->PFA-->littlebox or other P48 preamp.

So the couplings would be the collettes? The cabling between the couplings and PFA's can be any length per customer specs or is it a short run and desired cable length from the PFA's to the pre?

This looks great. Count me in.

no clue but an idea of cost would help me plan ahead or at least let me cry now

[darby]

considering that you only have to run thru a P48, and not bodies
it could be quite economical

I'm patiently waiting

[illconditioned]

considering that you only have to run thru a P48, and not bodies
it could be quite economical

I'm patiently waiting

Exactly!  I think this is the main benefit of the 'actives'.  Buying bodies is a waste of money. Powering bodies is a waste of battery...

  Richard

[datbrad]

considering that you only have to run thru a P48, and not bodies
it could be quite economical

I'm patiently waiting

Exactly!  I think this is the main benefit of the 'actives'.  Buying bodies is a waste of money. Powering bodies is a waste of battery...

  Richard

I always wanted to ask this question, I'm sure someone else has at some point. How much of the sound comes from the bodies and if it's not that much and they are purely used for powering why does Jim Williams do mods on bodies?

The bodies are technically preamplifiers. They basically serve 2 purposes, to send a bias voltage to the capsules, and to amplify the signal from them to mic level. In the case of the AKGs, they also have pre-attenuation and low cut filter switches.

The option being discussed here to bypass the bodies will definately deliver a sound that is different than having a true active cable between the capsules and the bodies. Not that this is a bad thing, necessarily. The old JK Labs box worked great, but definately had a sound all it's own. Some liked it, some didn't. If you are wanting a "classic" AKG sound that the C460B or the 480 bodies have, you will not get that with any solution that removes them from the equation, IMO.

[illconditioned]

considering that you only have to run thru a P48, and not bodies
it could be quite economical

I'm patiently waiting

Exactly!  I think this is the main benefit of the 'actives'.  Buying bodies is a waste of money. Powering bodies is a waste of battery...

  Richard

I always wanted to ask this question, I'm sure someone else has at some point. How much of the sound comes from the bodies and if it's not that much and they are purely used for powering why does Jim Williams do mods on bodies?

The bodies are technically preamplifiers. They basically serve 2 purposes, to send a bias voltage to the capsules, and to amplify the signal from them to mic level. In the case of the AKGs, they also have pre-attenuation and low cut filter switches.

The option being discussed here to bypass the bodies will definately deliver a sound that is different than having a true active cable between the capsules and the bodies. Not that this is a bad thing, necessarily. The old JK Labs box worked great, but definately had a sound all it's own. Some liked it, some didn't. If you are wanting a "classic" AKG sound that the C460B or the 480 bodies have, you will not get that with any solution that removes them from the equation, IMO.

The bodies consist of an polarization voltage generator, an impedance converter (FET behind the capsule) and a line driver (drive a balanced XLR cable).  There is really not much gain in the body, if any.  Using the capsules alone still needs an impedance converter (FET in the collette).  The output is unbalanced, so not suitable for long cable lengths, but fine for what we do (however, be careful of cellphone interference...).

As for a different "sound".  I don't know.  I could think of two sources.  One is that the impedance converter in the AKG may be a bit more sophisticated than in the JK labs box.  The AKG circuit uses two (or more?) FETs in the front for better linearity.  Also, the AKG 460s have a transformer.  Finally, doesn't the JK box have a preamp in it (output line instead of mic level).  That could be a source of distortion, or different sound.

  Richard

[Todd R]

It depends on which jklabs box you're talking about.  Jon at jklabs built many "DVC" boxes that do have a preamp included as well.  He also built the "ECMS" box -- only 2 ever built that I know of, one for AKGs, one for Gefells -- and the ECMS box did not provide gain.  It was just ck6x cap >jklabs collette (presumably with FET, etc) > jklabs ECMS box, which acted as the mic bodies and provided the capsule bias voltage, but did not provide any gain.

I ran his AKG ECMS box for years -- very nice solution for AKG actives.  But as Brad notes, it sounded a bit different to me than AKG 480 bodies.  Not a huge difference, but still different.  Reminds me more of the sound of using jwilliams modded 460's.